Leer loader



R. D. STURM LEER LOADER June 6, 1933.

Filed Jan. 26, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l attorney e 33- I R. D. STURM 1,912,503

LEER LOADER Filed Jan. 26. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 6, 1933 o UNITED STATES PATENT,- orFrcE 7 D. STUBIL OF OAI ILAND, CALHOBNIA, ASSIGNOB 0 HAZEL-ATLAS GLASS 00., OF W'HJELING, WEST VIRGINIA, A CORP(IXRA'IIOIN' OF WEST VIRGINIA A lication filed January 26, 1831. Serial no. 511,371.

The present invention relates to leer loaders and has for its primary objectthe prov sion of means for steadying glassware as'1t is being transferred to the traveling conveyer of an annealing leer, and especially to such means as are adaptable for use w1th a leer loader of the reciprocating stripper bar type.

A further object of the invention is the in provision of a simple andinexpensive yet efficient means for cooperation with a leer loader to steady the ware being transferred to the leer conveyer, which means is adjustable to adapt it to ware of varying sizes. A still further object ofthe invention consists in providing a replacerelement attached to an operating part of .the ware-steadying means, whereby any piece of ware which may inadvertently reach a position beyond the end of the stripper bar will be automatically brought back into the path of operation of the bar. I

Other objects and advanta es of the invention will appear from the fo owing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front end of a leer provided with'a leer loader and the ware steadying device attached thereto. Figure 2 is a horizontalsection through the front end of the leer and showing'the leerloader and steadying device associated therewith.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line 33 of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the pusher bar and the ware steadying mechamsm mounted thereon.

The leed loader with which the resent improvements are illustrated .is su tantially identical with that shown in the application of Arthur Covey for patent on mechanism for transferringglassware from forming machines to leers, Serial No. 462,564, filed June 20, 1930. Theleer'loader will first be briefly described and then the improvements will be 1 described in more detail, but it is'to be understood that the resent invention is not li'm ited to use wit the particular leer loader with which it is shown associated. 1

Numeral 1 designates a leer which is provided with the usual conveyer 2, and shadow pan 3. The loading device is mounted on one side only of the leer, and comprisesa stripper bar-'5 and a. rod 6, to which one end of the stripper bar is secured.

The rod 6 is mounted so as to be reciprocated backand forth along its axis and also to .be tilted to raise and lower the strip r bar 5. For this purpose, a frame 7 is tilta ly mounted on. one side of the leer, as indicated tion with the forward end of the frame resting upon the top of the bolt 12.

The stripper bar 5 is supported at one end only, namely, that end which is secured to the reciprocating rod 6; and in order to prevent the bar from sagging, means is provlded on the rod for cooperation with the frame 7 to resist any torque set up in the rod. This means comprises a pin 15 extendin downwardly through rod 6 and provide with a roller 16 on its lower end. This roller is adapted to ride back and forth in guideway' 17 formed upon the upper surface of frame 7, thereby providing astrong and eflicient means for retaining the stripper bar 5 in a horizontal positionsat all-times.

For reciprocating the rod and stripper bar,

there is provided a crank arm 18 which 13 driven through reduction gearing 19. by

means of an electric motor 20; these elementsbeing supported on the side of the leer by means of the brackets 21. Reciprocating movement is imparted tothe'rod 6 by means of a connecting-rod 22 which is pivotally connected to the crank 18, as indicated by'numeral-23; its opposite end being pivotally connected to the rod 6, as indicated by numeral 24. This connecting rod 22 is of the 'of the connectin turnbuckle type and thus provides means for varying the extreme limits of movement of the stripper bar toward and from the mouth of the leer.

To provide means for tilting the rod 6 and thus raising and lowering the strip er bar 5 to effect proper movements thereo to avoid oncomin ware, the crank arm 18 is provided with a r0 ler 25 on that side of the crank arm adjacent the rod 6. After the crank arm 18 has rotated rearwardly in the direction of the arrow to feed the ware to the leer, the roller 25 will engage the adjacent end of the rod 6. This engagement of the roller 25 with rod 6 will depress that end of the rod and thus cause the frame 7 to be rocked u on its pivot 8 thereby raising the stripper ar so that it may clear the to of the oncoming ware as the bar is moved ackward to its initial position. It should be noted in this connection that the roller 25 is positioned to one side of the line'passing through the pivot 23 rod and the center of rotation of the cran arm 18. 'By means of this particular positioning of the roller 25 with respect to t e ivot point 23 of the connecting rod, it will e a parent that the roller will not engage the rod until after pivot 23 has passed below the horizontal plane of rod 6. Accordingly, a slight rearward movement will be imparted to the rod prior to the initiation of the downward movement of the end thereof, with the result that the stri per bar 5 is backed awa a slight distance From the ware which has en moved into the leer, be

- fore the stripper bar is raised, thus avoiding any tendency to displace or upset the ware.

It is also desirable to vary the height to which the stri per bar is raised in its return movement, and for this purpose the roller is mounted in a slot 26 extending toward the pivot of crank arm 18, and ma be clamped at any desired position within t e slot, thereby varying the eifective length of the crank arm, and thus varying the extent of upward movement of the stripper bar.

Before describing the operation of this particular loading device, I shall first describe the rotary table, and the mechanism for rotating the table.

Numeral 27 refers to a base member upon which the leer rests. This base member has a forward extension upon which rests a frame 28 carrying a bracket 29 in which is rotatably mounted the shaft 30 of a table 31, the latter lying flush with the shadow pan 3. Thus the leer, the loader, the rotary table and its operating mechanism constitute a single unit which may be moved to any desired position relative to a forming machiner The base member may be provided with rollers if desired, to assist in properly positioning it in the plant.

The shaft 30 carries at its lower end a bevel gear 32 meshing with a bevel gear 33 on a horizontal shaft 34. Also fixed to this side of the leer. The rear end of this shaft is provided with a bevel gear 39 meshing with a similar gear 40 on a shaft 41. The shaft 41 also has fixed thereto a sprocket wheel 42, driven by a sprocket wheel 44, through a sprocket chain 43. The sprocket wheel 44 is driven by the reduction gearing 19, so that the motor 20 drives both the unloading device and the table; the stripper bar of the unloading device being continuously reciprocated and the table being continuously rotated.

The unit, consisting of the leer, the rotary table, the stripper bar and the mechanism for operating the table and bar, is so positioned that the table will be in cooperative relation with a forming machine. The particular position of the table with respect to the forming machine is not important, providing it is close enough to the forming machine to permit the ordinary take-out device to remove the finished articles from the molds at the delivery position and deposit them on the table. It is immaterial at what pointaround the periphery of the table the articles are deposited.

The articles, being placed on the table one by one, are carried around'by the table until they are brought in front of the leer. At the proper instant the stripper bar will operate to sweep the articles in front of it, forward onto the leer conveyer 2. If the articles are being placed on the rotary table at a point somewhere near the leer front, then only two or three of the articles may remain on the table after each operation of the stripper bar, and those few remaining will, of course, continue their travel until they are in front of the leerready to be carried forward by thestripper bar. On the other hand, if the articles are being placed on the rotary table at a point remote from the leer front, then it is apparent that there will be a long string of articles on the table at all times, a certain number of which are swept forward into the leer with each operation of the stripper bar. So it is apparent that the articles may be placed on the table near the leer front, re-

pens to be substantially equal to the width of the leer conveyer. Usually the table is much wider than the leer conveyer, as in the specific form illustrated herein, and. the stripper bar .is of such length that its free end is just about in alignment with the far side of the leer conveyer.

A brief description of the operation of the to the particular ware which is being madeon the forming machine, thereby accommodating the leer loader to the center of gravity of the ware; the turnbuckle 22 is ad- Justed to properly fix the limits of movement of the stripper bar, and the roller 25 is. moved to that position in slot 26 which best adapts the device to the particular size of ware being handled. As described herein before, the loading device and the rotary table are operated by the motor: 20, so that their movements are synchronized; the speed of operation being controlled by the motor and the reduction gearing. The parts are so timed that when the table has rotated to bring in front of the leer a line of ware sub- I stantially equal to the width of the leer tunnel, the stripper bar will operate to draw the string of ware off the rotating table, across the shadow pan 3,'and onto the leer conveyer 2; which will carry it slowly forward through the leer. l

After the ware is brought onto the leer conveyer 2, the crank arm 18 will pass below the horizontal plane of its pivot point and cause the stripper bar to back away slightly from the ware, just before the roller 25 engages the rod 6. While the r ller 25 is depressing. .the end of the rod 6, the rearward movement of the rod will also be continued due to the rotary movement of the crank arm 18. Thus the stripper bar will follow an arcuate path in its cycle of operations. As the crank arm rises, roller 25 will allow the stripper bar to gradually descend to its initial posltion, proecting across a portion of the rotating table.

In the meantime, the rotation of the table.

has carried another string of ware'into position in front of the leer and the continued rotation of the crank arm 18 will again operate the stripper arm to sweep the string from the table onto the leer conveyer; the reciprocation of the stripper bar and the rotation of the table continuing as long as the formin machine is in operation. It will be note that from the time the articles are taken from the molds until they are in the annealing leer, they are subjected to only one movement relative to the surfaces upon'which they are .supportedilwhich is when they are-swept forward by t e stripper bar from the table to the leer conveyer. l g

The attachments for steadyin the ware being pushed into the leer and t e replacer bar for returning into alignment with the leer conve er any ware which may have been accidental y carried be 0nd the line of travel of the leer conveyer w' now be described.

bolts also extend throu h brackets 54 and 55 and serve to secure t ese brackets on the plate for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Secured on top of the plate 51, as by bolts 56 and spacer thimbles 57, is a bearing member or block58. Pivotally mounted in the member 58 is a shaft 59;,this shaft berovided at one end with a crank arm 60 diid. ing squared at its opposite end to receive a sleeve 61 which may be adjustably secured thereon by means ofa set screw 62. Mounted in the member 61 is a ware steadying arm 63 which may be removably secured therein as by means of screw 64.

The plate 51 is normally drawn toward one end of the track 50 by a coil spring 65 havmg its ends secured to the plate and to the T-bar by hooks 65 and 65", respectively. In order to limit the movement produced in the plate by means of the spring 65, a stop plate 66 is secured to the T-bar and serves as an abutment for the plate 51. Pivoted to the crank arm 60 is a link 67 which has its opposite end pivoted to a bracket 68mounted on the adjacent end of the T-bar. The plate 51 and the parts carried thereby are adapted to be moved toward the center line of the leer as the stripper bar is moved toward the leer conveyer, and for this urpose a cam track 69 is mounted to one side of the leer, as shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 2. Cooperating with the cam track 69 is a cam roller 70 carried on a pin 71 fixed to the brack- I et 55. As the roller70 en ages the inclined portion of the cam track 69 it 'will be apparent that the plate 51 will bemoved toward the I center line of the leer againstthe tension of spring 65. In this movement of the plate toward the center line of the'leer the shaft 59 will be rotated about its axis by reason of the fact that the link 67 which has one end pivotally connected to the crank arm 60, remains stationary while .the plate 51 and shaft 59 are moved toward the center line of'the leer. This rotation of the shaft '59 will cause the were steadying arm 63 to move from its upwardly inclined position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, to a substantially horizontal position, as indicated in dotted line in Fig. 2; thus being brought into a osition, ad acent the line of were being pushed onto the leer conveyer by the strip r bar 5 Mountedon thelii'acket 54 also carried by the plate 51' is a'block of asbestos or other similar material 72. At each movement of. translation of the plate 51 toward the center line ofthe leer this block 72, which serves as a been carried to which may have accidentally f h 1 0 t e eer conone side of the line of trave ve er.

n the operation of the device the ware steadying arm 63 is adjusted by means of the set screw 62 to a position relative to the stripper bar 5 which best suits it to the particular dimensions of ware being annealed, and the leer loader is then set in operation as hereinbefore described. 'After the cam roller 70 reaches the track 69, the plate 51 is moved toward the center line of the leer and in doing so causes the ware steadying arm 63 to assume a position parallel to the stripper bar 5. Thus the line of ware being pushed into the leer will be supported on two sides and any possibility of the ware being pushed over is entirely eliminated.

Just before the stripper bar reaches the limit of its inwardmovement the cam roller 70 should pass the end of the cam track 69 and cause the plate 51 to return automatically to its original position by means of the spring 65, thereby causing the link 67 to return the crank to its original position and thus raise the ware steadier arm 63 to an inoperative position as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4. This return of the ware steadier arm 63 to the inoperative position has thus taken place before the slight return movement of the stripper bar and also before the stripper bar is raised by operation of the roller 25, as hereinbefore 'mentioned. In this movement of the plate 51 back and forth along the stripper bar 5 the replacer bar 7 2 will operate to realign with the leer conveyer any piece of ware which has been inadvertently carried beyond the line of movement of the leer conveyer.

From the above description taken in connection with the attached drawings it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have provided a very simple attachment for leer loaders, and especially those of the stripper bar type, which automatically operates to steady the ware as it is being transferred to the leer conveyer; that it is adjustable to varying sizes of ware; and that the means provided very readily adapts itself to the provision of a replacer bar for re-aligning ware with the leer conveyer.

While the improvements shown and described-herein are illustrated in conjunction with a particular leer loader, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited and may, with slight modification, be adapted for use with a variety of constructions used for feeding ware into an annealing leer. I

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the preferred construction of my invention, but various minor changes ma be made in the details of construction wit out departing from thespirit of the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

the ware-steadying What I claim is:

1. Av leer loader including a stripper bar, a ware-steadying arm slidably and pivotally connected to the bar, means for moving the bar toward and from the leer, and means for sliding and swinging the arm to ware-steadying positionv as the bar is moved toward the eer.

2. A leer loader including a stripper bar, a ware-steadying arm slidably and pivotally connected to the stripper bar, a replacer bar slidably .mounted on the stripper bar, and means for moving the arm and replacer bar to operative position as the stripper bar is moved toward the leer.

3. A leer loader including a stripper bar, a member slidabl mounted on the stripper bar, a ware-stea ying arm pivoted on said member, means for moving said member longitudinally of the stripper bar, a crank arm on said pivot, and a link connectin the crank arm with said stripper bar, w ereby the ware-steadying arm is moved to operative position as the slidable member is caused to move relatively to the stripper bar.

4. A leer loader includin a stripper bar, a member slidably mounte on the stripper bar, a ware-steadying arm pivoted on said member, a replacer bar fixed to said member, means or moving said member longitudinally of the stripper bar, a crank arm secured to the pivot of said ware-steadying arm, and a link connecting the crank arm with said stripper bar.

5. A leer loader including a stripper bar, a member slidably mounted on the stripper bar, a ware-steadying arm pivoted on said member, means for moving said member longitudinally of the stripper bar, and means for causing said ware-steadying arm to swing about its pivot as said member is moved along the pusher bar.

6. A'leer loader including a stripper bar extending across the front of a leer, a waresteadying arm pivotally mounted at one of its ends only at one side of the leer, means for moving the stripper bar toward and from the leer, and means for swinging the waresteadying arm downwardly from one side of the leer into substantially the plane of the stripper bar.

7. A leer loader including a stripper bar extending across the front of a leer, means for moving the stripper bar toward and from the leer, a ware-steadying arm mounted on the stripper bar, means for movingthe waresteadying arm back and forth longitudinally of the stripper bar, and means for moving arm into and out of the horizontal plane 0 the stripper bar.

.8. A leer loader including a stripper bar extending across the front of a leer, means for moving the stripper bar toward-and from the leer, a ware-stead ing arm mounted on the stripper bar, a rep acer member mounted on the stripper, means for periodically moving the ware-steadying arm into the horizontal plane of the stripper bar to steady ware aboutto be transferred, and means for moving, the replacer member longitudinally of the stripper bar to replace ware in proper alignment for transfer.

9. A leer loader including a stripper bar extending across the front of a. leer, means for moving the stripper bar toward and fromthe leer, a ware-steadying arm mounted on the stripper bar, a replacer member mounted on the stripper bar, means for moving the ware-steadying armand the replacer member back and forth longitudinally of the stripper v bar, and means for moving the ware-steadying arm into and out of the horizontal'plane of the stripper bar.

RALPH D. STURM-- 

